Fred C. Albrecht Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Chip Johnson
’71 BS-BA Business Administration

President, Real Estate Services Group

Mr. Johnson has remained a loyal member of the UNLV alumni family after graduating with his business degree in the early 1970s. After graduation, he quickly established himself as a respected commercial real estate professional in the valley, eventually founding Real Estate Services Group in the early 1980s. He also received the Alumnus of the Year Award from the Lee Business School in 2003. He and his wife, Helen, commissioned the bronze “Hey Reb!” statue in the courtyard of the Richard Tam Alumni Center and also were instrumental in funding the Jerry Tarkanian statue in the Thomas & Mack Center plaza.

Why I’m a proud graduate of UNLV …
I remember vividly the first day I walked onto the university campus. At that time, it was called Nevada Southern University, which later became UNLV. There were basically only three buildings on this campus in the middle of the desert. And now, only one of those buildings remain, which is Wright Hall.

When I look around the campus today I am totally amazed at what my university, our university, has become. With that growth came many friendships. The friendships that are forged in your college years often become lifelong relationships. Some of these people even become colleagues and business associates. That has been very true in my life. I’m proud of those friendships. They have added meaning to my life.

My college friends are what kept me focused on graduation. I admired their vision, goals, and the tenacity to achieve their goals. That inspired me more than anything, as a businessman, student and proud member of the Las Vegas community.

My greatest lessons learned at UNLV were to crystallize my thinking, to not be afraid of the obstacles in your way, and to never lose sight of your goal. These skills, those life-long relationships, and the fact that I met my wife Helen here, are just a few of the many reasons I’m a proud graduate of UNLV.